Havelock Sports Club secured back-to-back wins to remain unbeaten, overcoming a spirited Air Force Sports Club 30-19 in their second-week clash of the Mastercard Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2024/25, held at the Air Force Rugby Grounds in Ratmalana.
Air Force dominated the early exchanges as the visitors struggled to settle into the game, conceding two quick penalties. Gayantha Iddamalgoda made no mistake, slotting both kicks perfectly to give the hosts an early lead. (Air Force 06-00 Havelocks)
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The Park Club finally found their rhythm as Samuel Maduwantha slotted a penalty to reduce the deficit to just three points after the Airmen were penalized for not rolling away at the breakdown. A few minutes later, the Havelocks forwards displayed solid teamwork with a series of effective pick-and-drives. It wasn’t long before Skipper Abdullah Faiz powered over from close range to put his side in the lead. (Air Force 06-08 Havelocks)
The Havelocks continued to put pressure on the Airmen, with their forwards effectively utilizing the pick-and-drive tactic. The move brought them to the 5-meter line, setting the stage for a clever play. Scrumhalf Mohamed Rifan switched to the blind side, delivering a quick ball to Mushin Faleel, whose pop pass created space for Dinupa Senevirathne. Senevirathne drove close to the try line before delivering a timely offload to playmaker Sandesh Jayawickrama, who crossed over for the visitors’ second try. (Air Force 06-13 Havelocks)
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Air Force needed a response, and they delivered as expected. Capitalizing on penalties conceded by Havelocks, the Airmen executed their rolling maul to perfection, gaining over 15 meters and driving close to the try line. Manuka Perera then powered through with a strong carry to cross over and bring Air Force back into the game. (Air Force 11-13 Havelocks)
Just before the break, Havelocks struck again when Samuel Maduwantha capitalized on a numbers mismatch on the blind side. Spotting the opportunity, he delivered a pinpoint long cut-out pass to winger Jayathu Rajarathne, who finished with an easy run-in to extend the visitors’ lead.
Half Time: Air Force SC 11 (1T,2P) – Havelocks SC 18 (3T,1P)
The Airmen began the second half just as they had started the first, with Gayantha Iddamalgoda slotting an easy penalty to reduce the deficit to four points. However, the Park Club quickly regained control, denying the home side any momentum. Their powerful No. 8, Chathura Dilshan, executed a perfect break from the back of a close-range scrum to crash over the line, securing the bonus point try for Havelocks. (Air Force 14-23 Havelocks)
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The game remained evenly poised until the 77th minute, when fullback Samuel Maduwantha sealed the victory with a moment of individual brilliance. Stepping into the role of first five-eighth, he showcased exceptional footwork, sidestepping past two Air Force defenders to dive under the posts. Maduwantha then converted his own try with ease—his only successful conversion kick of the day in what had otherwise been a forgettable outing with the boot. (Air Force 14-30 Havelocks)
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In the final move of the game, Air Force put together a series of patient attacking phases, something they had struggled with earlier. Their persistence paid off when Parakrama Ratnayake shrugged off the attention of several defenders to cross over for a consolation try, ending the match on a positive note for the Airmen.
Full Time: Air Force SC 19 (2T,3P) – Havelocks SC 30 (5T,1C,1P)
Player of the Match: Abdullah Faiz (Havelocks SC)
Points Breakdown
Air Force SC 19
Manuka Perera 1T, Parakrama Ratnayake 1T, Gayantha Iddamalgoda 3P
Havelocks SC 30
Abdullah Faiz 1T, Sandesh Jayawickrama 1T, Jayathu Rajarathne 1T, Dilshan Chathura 1T, Samuel Maduwantha 1T,1C,1P
